6 Questions for Mason Tomaino

1 | Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Mason Tomaino. I am a national recruiter and consultant for the cleaning and restoration industry and a business and marketing instructor. I have been in the industry for more than 30 years. My most important titles are husband, father, grandfather, and coach. I have a wonderful family, and that is my biggest accomplishment.

2 | How did you first get started in the industry?

While I was a janitor at the Crystal Cathedral (now the Christ Cathedral) in Garden Grove, California, a friend of mine did a water-damage job in one of the facilities and made more on that single job than I did in two weeks. That’s what pushed me to start my own company.

3 | Who in your life has impacted you the most?

My father, Frank Tomaino, has had the most significant impact on my life. He was the greatest salesman I have ever met. He started as a shoe salesman who would hitchhike to work to eventually owning his own real estate brokerage. I witnessed him never giving up. He was determined.

4 | If you could have dinner with one person from history, who would it be, and why?

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

—Henry Ford

There is a hiring story about Ford that has always stuck with me. He took two candidates with the same background and GPA to dinner. Afterward, he took them outside and hired one of them. The one who didn’t get hired stated he didn’t understand why. Ford said there were two reasons. First, the other candidate asked the waitress for her name and got to know her, and secondly, the man who didn’t get hired put salt on his steak before trying it, which showed that he would change things before seeing if it worked.

I could list many reasons why I find Ford inspiring, but the main reason why I would want to have dinner with him is because I genuinely believe we would have an enjoyable conversation, and nothing beats speaking with someone who cares about people.

5 | What music, movies, or books have inspired you?

Well, this one’s easy! The Founder. It’s the story of Ray Kroc, who inspired me because of his perseverance. I studied him in college, many years prior to the release of the movie. I was introduced to his story and the book Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s by Ray Kroc.

Kroc had a saying: “Quality, service, and cleanliness,” which I feel speaks for itself. These are top priorities that overlap in our industry and the food industry. In his hotel room, he would listen to positive and motivational tapes, and as a traveling salesman, even though I may not agree with all his tactics, I can relate to him. I became such a fan that I found and purchased the exact milkshake machine Ray Kroc sold. That was an adventure.

Another book is The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer. It focuses on how people don’t like to be sold. They like to buy.

6 | What personal philosophy of life motivates you the most?

LIT—Loyalty, integrity, and trust. These are the three words I live by, and I believe encouraging and supporting others are the most important things we can do in business, but also in